Microsoft has quietly confirmed a troubling, widespread regression affecting the Windows 11 shell after a July 2025 cumulative update, acknowledging that XAML component registration failures can prevent Start Menu, Taskbar, File Explorer and Settings from initializing correctly in certain...
appxappx xaml
kb5072911
non persistent vdi
provisioning
provisioning regression
start menu
vdi
vdi cloud pc
vdi provisioning
windows 11
windows 11 24h2
xaml
xaml packages
Automated Software Inventory Report with PowerShell (Win 10/11)
Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Introduction
Keeping an up-to-date view of installed software on Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines helps with license compliance, security patching, and asset management. A...
Microsoft’s admission that a servicing regression broke core Windows 11 shell functionality in certain provisioning scenarios crystallizes a slow‑burn crisis for the operating system: a July 2025 cumulative update (represented in Microsoft’s advisory by KB5062553) introduced a timing‑dependent...
Microsoft’s Windows 365 is taking a pragmatic step toward wider frontline and shift-worker adoption by launching Windows 365 Cloud Apps in public preview — a feature that streams individual Windows applications from a shared Cloud PC so organizations can deliver Outlook, Word, OneDrive and...
Microsoft’s decision to let organizations stream single Windows applications from the cloud — instead of entire Cloud PC sessions — marks a pragmatic pivot in how enterprises will adopt Windows 365 for day-to-day workforces and frontline roles. The new Windows 365 Cloud Apps feature, now in...
Microsoft’s official guidance for the Movies & TV app clarifies how device association works, how to view the devices tied to your account, and how to remove a device when you reach capacity — but it also reveals practical limits and policy quirks that every Windows user who buys or downloads...
account management
appx
cross service sync
device association
device limitations
devices
digital rights
dism
download devices
download limit
drm
license management
microsoft account
microsoft store
microsoft support
movies & tv
movies anywhere
offline viewing
offlinedownloads
powershell
removal cadence
sfc
store closure
troubleshooting
tv app
uwp
windows
windows apps
windows troubleshooting
xbox
zunevideo
Microsoft’s app-store experiment started with a clear promise — a single, safe place to find and automatically update Windows software — but for more than a decade the reality was a sequence of missteps, confusing platform shifts, and fragmented developer incentives that left most PC users...
app curation
app packaging
appx
desktop bridge
developer economics
electron
enterprise it
intune
microsoft store
msix
pwa
sccm
software distribution
third-party stores
update orchestration
uwp
win32
windows 11
windows update
winget
Windows 11’s sleek redesign promised speed and simplicity — what many users didn’t bargain for was a steady stream of promotional content running inside the shell, quietly consuming cycles, network bandwidth, and attention. Recent reporting and large-scale user tests show Microsoft’s...
ads
advertising id
appx
debloat
file explorer
group policy
os-ux
performance
performance tuning
powershell
privacy
recommendations
settings
speed
start menu
toggle
troubleshooting
widgets
windows 11
windows spotlight
Microsoft pushed a fix after a WinAppSDK release accidentally broke Microsoft Store installs and updates, but until you apply the patch or follow the advised workarounds many users on Windows 10 version 22H2 will see app installs fail with the cryptic “Something happened on our end” or error...
22h2
app installation
app store
app updates
appx
dependency
enterprise it
it admin
kb5046714
microsoft store
optional updates
patch
powershell
remediation
servicing stack
troubleshooting
winappruntime
winappsdk
windows 10
winupdate
Microsoft’s recent policy updates around Office distribution have been widely misunderstood: the company is not locking Office into the Windows Store — it is effectively retiring the Microsoft Store installation type for Microsoft 365 (Office) apps and steering users toward Click-to-Run delivery...
ai features
appx
click to run
configuration manager
copilot
deployment
end of support
enterprise it
feature updates
intune
it admin
microsoft 365
microsoft store
migration
office deployment
office migration
patch management
security updates
Microsoft is poised to revolutionize the Windows Update experience by integrating third-party applications and drivers into its update ecosystem. This initiative aims to streamline the traditionally fragmented update process, offering a unified solution for both operating system and application...
appx
automatic updates
drivers
it admin
microsoft
microsoft store
msix
powershell
security
software development
software update
system performance
third-party apps
update integration
update management
windows 10
windows 11
windows update
winget
winrt apis
Microsoft is quietly ushering in a significant transformation for Windows users and developers alike, one that could fundamentally reshape the way applications are updated across the ecosystem. The company is currently testing a unified update system, known as the Windows Update Orchestration...
You know you’re an IT professional when “stability” brings a tear to your eye—and if you’ve ever had to wrangle with Windows 11 LTSC, you might be weeping tears of both joy and frustration. Because, for all its cool, calm, and unchanging demeanor, Windows 11 LTSC hasn’t just slammed the door on...
appx
enterprise windows
it admin guide
it administration
it support
it workarounds
ltsc
microsoft
microsoft store
powershell
software management
system admin
system stability
tech tips
windows apps
windows customization
windows deployment
windows ltsc
windows security
windows tips
Are you tired of the barriers imposed by the Microsoft Store when trying to install applications like WhatsApp on your Windows system? Fear not! This guide will take you through the steps of installing WhatsApp on Windows 11 or 10 without needing to dance around the Microsoft Store’s...
I am trying to reinstall the Windows 10 Settings app I got this off the web:
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRootImmersiveControlPanelAppxManifest.xml
when I run it I get this:
cmdlet Add-AppxPackage at command pipeline...
Many new and sought-after Windows APIs and features such as BackgroundTasks, Notifications, LiveTiles, Share and more, are either not available or not easily callable from non-packaged Win32 applications. This is due to the programming model for UWP APIs that integrate with the system and have a...
This week we released a new Windows 10 SDK. Let’s dive deeper into some of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) improvements in the SDK update:
Visuals, Effects, and Animations
Introducing Windows.UI.Composition, a new API family that directly targets the UI foundation layer. The UI...
animation
appx
bluetooth
design kit
development
input
network
performance
sdk
sensors
software
sqlite
storage devices
user interface
uwp
visuals
windows 10
windows ack
windows ink
xaml
With the latest release of Windows 10 SDK Preview Build 10166, we are excited to introduce the Windows 10 Application Deployment (WinAppDeployCmd.exe) tool.
The Windows 10 Application Deployment (WinAppDeployCmd) is a command line utility that can be utilized to deploy a Universal Windows app...
appx
build 10166
command line
deployment
deployment tools
developer mode
devices
insider preview
network devices
sample apps
sdk
uninstall
universal windows platform
update
usb deployment
uwp
visual studio
winappdeploycmd
windows 10
windows development
Today's Visual Studio extension is kind of simple, and the source isn't currently available, but it's one of those that can really have you some time (and hair)...
Can Bilgin, building on the work of Link Removed, has released a Visual Studio 2015 extension that makes it click-easy to convert...